Pontoon support device for use in water and on snow



v March 7, 1967 R. R. JACKMAN 3,30

PONTOON SUPPORT DEVICE FOR USE IN WATER AND ON SNOW 'IILIIIIIH l I FiledApril 1, 1965 FIG. I

lNVENTOR ROBERT R. JACKMAN BY HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent3,367,209 PONTOON SUPPORT DEVICE FUR USE IN WATER AND ON SNOW Robert R.Jaclrman, 7 W. Valley Brive, Murray, Utah 84107 Filed Apr. 1, 1965, Ser.No. 444,699 6 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) The present invention relates torecreational devices in the sled class and, more particularly, to a newand improved, steerable, pontoon equipped support device which isreadily useable for both snow and water sports.

The present invention resides in the general area of sleds andtoboggans. In the case of conventional sleds steel runners areuniversally used. These have proven to be very dangerous to children andothers using sleds; often many serious accidents occur.

The present invention provides a sled-type device with rubber, or otherelastomer pontoons of an inflatable type. This is proven valuable in notonly reducing injuries in snow, and also adapts the structure for bothtoboggan and even water-sled usage.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved, pontoon support device of a sled-type.

A further object is to provide a support device which may be used as asled, toboggan, or even water sled.

A further object is to provide a pontoon device which can be steered onsnow and/or water.

An additional object is to provide a novel pontoon for supportingstructure which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, andsatisfactory for steering.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the pontoon support structure ascontemplated by the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan of the structure shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail, principally in section andtaken along the line 44 in FIGURE 2, of a representative end portion ofa respective pontoon employed to mount the pontoon to a respective areaof the support structure of the device.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention inits course of travel on a downhill run.

In the drawings the pontoon support device includes as its principalmembers a pair of pontoons 11 and a support structure 12 disposedthereover and attached thereto. The support structure 12 includes ahorizontal, substantially fiat, support member 13 and a steering member14 pivotally secured to the former by pivot attachments 15. Preferably,the steering member 14 is pivoted to support member 13 at a point whichlies along the longitudinal central axis A of support member 13. Formaximum freedom of movement of steering member it is desired that therear edge 16 of the same be arcuate, as shown.

The steering member 14 includes laterally extending steering cars 17 onboth sides of the structure, as indicated. Also included are inwardlyextending, pontoon mounting recesses 18, the same corresponding to thepontoon mounting recesses 19 disposed at respective rearward areas ofthe support member 13.

At this point it is deemed desirable to discuss the indi- 3,3@7,Z09Patented Mar. 7, 1967 vidual pontoons that will be used. These areformed of a suitable elastomer such as natural or synthetic rubber, andinclude depending, longitudinal runner edges 20. Conventional valvestems 21 will also be provided. The runner edges 20 are preferablymolded or otherwise formed into the underside areas of the pontoons 11.The pontoons are of a type which are capable of compressed air intiation.

It Will be seen with respect to the drawings that the pontoons doinclude upstanding mounting means 23. As seen in FIGURE 4 the mountingmeans may take the form of substantially cylindrical plugs 24 eachhaving a conically-configured base portion 25 and an overlapping head orlip portion .26. The individual pontoons L1 themselves include theelastomer pontoon member 27 provided, in addition to the individualrunner edges 20, with a pair of annular molded lips 28. The conicallyconfigured base portion 25 will be preliminarily inserted interiorly ofa respective lip 28 at the open area thereof, a suitable rubber cementat 29 applied, and a metal retainer ring 30 disposed in place. Thus,when the pontoon is inflated, the conically-configured base portion 25will tend to wedge outwardly and thus squeeze the lip 28 between thesame and the metal retainer. ring 30. The rubber cement will completethe sealing bonding between the mounting means 23 and the pontoon member27. Each of the pontoons will comprise a respective pontoon member 27having the upstanding mounting means 23 affixed as indicated. Whilethere are conceivably other ways in which the mounting means 23 can bedevised as, for example, by an upstanding molded part, yet is deemedpreferably the construction be as indicated in FIGURE 4. The mountingmeans 23 may be rubber, wood, plastic, or other rigid or semi-rigidmaterial. It is essential, however, that an over-lapping lip L beprovided so that the pontoons may be mounted to the support member 13and steering member 14.

The individual pontoon members 27 likewise preferably include anexterior, transverse peripheral groove 32 for accommodating thepositioning of elastic retainer straps or bands 33. Each of the retainerstraps is retained in place by respective brackets 34, the latter beingprovided with screw attachments 35 for securement to the support member13. The screws 35 along row A with respect to each of the brackets 34may be preliminarily loosened so that the straps can be implaced in thebrackets 35, as desired. The rubber straps keep the pontoons against thestructure and adequately retained with respect thereto.

In operation the user will either sit or lie down on his front oversupport member 13. The forward extension 13 of support member 13 is forthe purposes of comfort of the individual user of the same. The userwill actuate the steering ears either with his hands or fingers,rotationally displacing steering member 14 either to the right or to theleft (in respective clockwise and counter-clockwise directions) in orderto steer the unit. Such steering is accomplished by the arcuatedisplacement of the steering member 14. Such action directly producesthe slight displacement of the forward portions L of each of theflexible or bendable pontoons in each of the directions of the course oftravel desired. Kindly note the arcuate line configuration at L inFIGURE 5.

The structure can be used ideally in snow or even on water in whichlatter event some type of mounting ring R will be supplied for hooking atow-rope onto a boat, for example.

The unique advantages of the present invention are that the structurecan be manufactured very inexpensively, the pontoons o-r runners, beingof an inflated nature, will not chance injury to children, the device iseasily steered, and the unit can be used also in water as well.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownanddescribed, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a platform type, horizontal, rigid support member, asteering member pivotally secured to said rigid support member along thelongitudinal axis of the former, said steering member includingrespective side steering means constructed for user actuation, and apair of inflatable pontoons disposed beneath and afiixed to said rigidsupport member and also directly to said steering member on oppositesides of and forwardly of the pivotal securement of said steering memberto said rigid support member.

2. In combination, a platform type, horizontal, rigid support member, asteering member pivotally secured to said rigid support member along thelongitudinal axis of the former, said steering member includingrespective side steering means constructed for user actuation, and apair of inflatable pontoons disposed beneath and aifixed to said rigidsupport member and said steering member, each of said pontoons includingupstanding, lipped mounting means, each of said support member and saidsteering member include edge recesses for retentively receiving saidmounting means.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said device includes retainerbands securing said pontoons in mutually parallel forward disposition tosaid support member at regions of said pontoons which are rearward ofsaid steering member.

4. In combination, a rigid support member, a rigid steering member,pivot means pivoting said rigid steering member to said support member,a pair of parallel, longitudinally oriented pontoons disposed beneathand secured to and between said support member and said steering member,the securement of said pontoons to said steering member being onopposite sides of and forwardly of said pivot means, retainer meanssecuring each of said pontoons to said support member rearwardly of saidsteering means, and each of said pontoons including depending runneredges at the pontoon regions beneath said steering member.

5. A pontoon for securement to the underside of a support member, saidpontoon comprising, in combination, a pontoon member of inflatablecharacter, means for inflating pontoon member, said pontoon memberincluding at least one, annular, upwardly extending lip defining aninner open area, an upstanding, rigid, mounting member including aconically configured base cooperable with said lip and an overlapping,lipped mounting portion integral with said conical base, said conicalbase being inserted in the open area defined by said lip and beingcontiguous therewith, adhesive means disposed between said lip and saidbase portion, and rigid, annular retainer ring means disposed about saidlip and engaging the same.

6. A sled runner comprising an inflatable pontoon fabricated ofresilient mate-rial and having a lower portion comprising an integral,molded, longitudinal runner portion, said pontoon having an integralwall which is thickened, along the transverse cross-section of saidlower portion, solely by the downward protrusion of said runner portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,177,263 3/1916Ollivier 28028 1,889,578 11/1932 Warren 28022 1,973,584 9/1934 Tatter eta1. 9l1

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION, A PLATFORM TYPE, HORIZONTAL, RIGID SUPPORT MEMBER, ASTEERING MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID RIGID SUPPORT MEMBER ALONG THELONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE FORMER, SAID STEERING MEMBER INCLUDINGRESPECTIVE SIDE STEERING MEANS CONSTRUCTED FOR USER ACTUATION, AND APAIR OF INFLATABLE PONTOONS DISPOSED BENEATH AND AFFIXED TO SAID RIGIDSUPPORT MEMBER AND ALSO DIRECTLY TO SAID STEERING MEMBER ON OPPOSITESIDES OF AND FORWARDLY OF THE PIVOTAL SECUREMENT OF SAID STEERING MEMBERTO SAID RIGID SUPPORT MEMBER.